Highway Engineering Practice Test: Hill Roads — Flashcards

Hill Roads topics include: Hill roads, hill roads alignment, hill roads maintenance problems, hill roads geometrics and construction.

A hill road is a road that passes through a terrain with a cross slope of 25% or more. In India, hill roads are also known as ghat roads. They are generally built in mountainous regions and are characterized by deep gorges, steep slopes, and widely differing elevations. 

Hill roads are built with gradual slopes because it is safer and easier. A more inclined curve makes it easier to navigate, requiring less steering input. 

The design, building, and upkeep of hill roads can be challenging. For example, when constructing hill roads, blasting may be slightly short of requirement. Over-blasting the drain on hill-side can also form, and blasted stones can be used for retaining walls, back-filling high retaining walls, and aprons.

The formation of a hill road is generally prepared by the excavation of the hill and the material which is excavated is dumped or stacked along the cut portion. The retaining wall is constructed on the valley side of the roadway to prevent the sliding of backfilling.